Worlds Appart
by EvanescentDevotion
Summary: Silver Aldrift,the victor of the 53rd Hunger Games, just wants to live a peaceful life as an adult. Unable to get over her distrust towards the government however, she's been educating her mind and body to constantly stay sharp. After having an interesting night with District 12's mentor, Haymitch, her interest in him eventually turns hectic in the face of a revolution.
1. Chapter 1: Business of Faking It

Familiar Stranger

The sun illuminating her green eyes, gently warming her whole body- it was just like that time. She could still feel the faint chill of the morning breeze, the cold wetness of the blood on her hands. She could still feel the weight of the body lying limp in her arms. A single tear cooled her cheek as it rolled down her face. And, even after all that hell, she remembered feeling strangely at piece. The words still echoed throughout her head, though seeming just as distant as they did the day she heard them.

"_There you have it, the victor of the 53__rd__ Hunger Games! Silver Aldrift!"_

The creaking of the bed under her weight tore Silver from her trance like state, and she found herself staring out the window of her luxurious hotel room. How many times had she lost time like this? Sighing deeply, she felt more tired now than ever, but glancing at the clock, she quickly realized an hour had already passed since the alarm went off. Silver learned a long time ago that she had to start waking up several hours before she went anywhere. Her dark hair lay messed and her olive skin still glowed with faint traces of sweat. Did she have another nightmare again? She couldn't even remember.

Shakily removing herself from the bed, Silver breathed harshly through her nose in frustration. Even after all these years, she was still reliving that same memory. It didn't always touch her in her sleep, but on the rare occasions that it still did, her whole day seemed to be thrown off. Every moment would seem to be a blur and sometimes she would forget where she even was.

Her phone glowed faintly on the mahogany nightstand, flashing in intervals. Someone must have messaged her while she was drifting into space. Walking over to the nightstand, she gently flicked her thumb across the interface, and the holograph lit up. When she saw what the message had been about, she furrowed her brows in annoyance. It read: "Got you something fabulous for the after party tonight!"

The very few times she was invited back to the Capital, everything was about the show. She thought that after her victory, she wouldn't have to deal with this superficiality anymore, but she was mistaken. If it hadn't been for the Rare Book Keep Society, she wouldn't even have a reason to keep in contact with the Capital at all. She couldn't bring herself to trust the government; even after all the special treatment she had been given. Her main concern was to educate herself, and keep her body in perfect, physical condition. She never knew when she would need it.

Looking in the mirror, she gazed deeply into her own eyes. That minty green iris, brown bleeding from the center pupil, had made her famous. When she had won, unbeknownst to her, the camera must have closed in on her face. For days she was interviewed about her triumph, and words like haunting and stunning were used to describe those eyes. That hype had of course died down after a few weeks, yet it always came up again whenever someone conducted an interview.

Her eyes were all she wanted to look at, the last remnant of her mother and her youth. They were the only thing she found beautiful about herself. When Silver was selected at fifteen, her mother had already been very sick for a few years. She died when Silver was still participating in the games. Silver had no idea until she won. She didn't get to go to the funeral, didn't get to say goodbye. Her father was never the same after that, and often took the boat out for the entirety of the day. He would just sit out there, a couple miles from shore, just staring silently at the horizon. But, there was little time for mourning. There was work to be done.

Sometimes Silver would credit that work with saving her life. She wasn't a career like some chosen from District 4, but she spent all her days working on her father's ship since she was very little. Her mother being frail since she could remember, her father searched for more dangerous catches like crab and marlin. The waters were especially harsh when searching for crab, but it was worth the extra profit. Her mother's medical bills needed to be paid.

Then a loud tone burst throughout the room. It was her phone again, so someone must have been trying to call her. Quickly adjusting her long, wavy hair, Silver made her way back to the nightstand where she had put back her phone before. Just as the phone was about to switch to voicemail, Silver hurriedly answered just in time.

"Hello?" She questioned, staring at the holograph interface again.

"Silver, this is Gerard," a flamboyant yet mature voice sounded from the phone, " I set up several appointments to get you ready for tonight."

"Thanks," she breathed out, realizing it was her publicist, "just send me the times over text."

Silver began pacing, a smile forming on her lips. Despite being unenthusiastic about the attention that came from being a previous victor, she had to admit that she liked Gerard. He might have been a bit of a drama king, but he was meticulous when it came to doing his job. He wasn't afraid to tell her off when she was being lazy or irresponsible either.

"Do you have anything else you want to say?" His voice seemed expectant, yet strict like a parent about to scold their child. It made her a bit nervous to answer.

"Thank you_ so_ much?" She questioned, raising her shoulders in cautious anticipation.

When she heard an exaggerated sigh over the phone, she knew she had said something wrong. Squinting her eyes, and curling her upper lip, she was prepared for a lecture.

"You are a thirty-six year old woman and you still don't know how to greet someone properly?"

His voice grew louder and suddenly she knew what he was scolding her for. It had been over a year since she was called back to the capital, and within that time Gerard and her hadn't talked once.

"Honestly you could have said something like 'how are you Gerard?', or 'it's been so long darling', or 'I missed you Gerard'!" The volume of his voice continued to rise. "Did you even miss me a little bit in these past two years?"

He nearly cried out, flabbergasted beyond a doubt. She could sense him giving his raised eyebrow, crossed arm look on the other side of that phone. He never left his emotions unread; open like a book. A very blunt book.

"Of course I missed you," Silver almost pleaded, "but you know how the connection is when you're in the districts!"

She hoped this excuse would suffice, as nothing seemed more inconvenient to a resident of the Capital, than the thought of living outside the city.

"Oh I know darling," with success, Silver's words seemed to calm the tempest stirring in her publicist, "but you could have at least sounded a bit more excited to hear me!"

Beaming, Silver was glad to talk to Gerard just like they used to do. She really did think of him like a guardian, but he was from a completely different world. When she was on the sea with her father, she didn't want those two lives to come together. She didn't think about even looking at her phone when she was home.

"I'm sorry Ger," she let her voice become sweet as honey, working every second she could keep Gerard's anger at bay, "I did just wake up though."

"Just woke up?!"

Maybe that had turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Silver winced as Gerard's voice boomed through the holograph interface. Now remembering how punctual Gerard was, Silver regretted not coming up with a different excuse.

"You are such a mess!" He huffed, just as peeved as he was before. "I'm coming over!"

Before Silver could interject, Gerard promptly hung up on her. She stopped her pacing to stare at her phone for a few seconds, letting the thought of Gerard coming over set in. Like a flash, she flung her phone onto the bed and hurriedly stripped to get in the shower. Knowing Gerard, she had about twenty five minutes before he began pounding on the door.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours had passed since Gerard let himself into Silver's hotel room, gave her a thorough verbal beat down, and proceeded to hug her like nothing happened. It was typical Gerard. His anger may have been explosive, but it was just that: A quick explosion of pure rage, and then the usual, bubbly Gerard.<p>

Inside his personal limousine, Gerard broke down the events of the day. Silver had already gotten her hair done at a salon, spoke to a group of wealthy women about beauty products, checked in with the Rare Book Keep Society board of directors, and shook hands with a few politicians at the set up for the chariot event. She hadn't seen her dress for the annual Hunger Games Opening after party, but Gerard promised her it would be 'fierce'.

Staring out the window, buildings and people passed by in seconds. She began to get lost in the concrete expanse that spread out before her, and Gerard's words faded into murmurs. She could handle talking with politicians and important officials, yet she was less than pleased towards the idea of the after party. She didn't always get along with the other victors, but they were also the only people she could truly relate to.

Her mind skipped to one victor in particular last year. He had spilled his drink all over her dress, completely intoxicated. Back then she was more prone to losing her patience, and would have started something had Gerard not been there. She spent the whole rest of the night glaring at the man, while Gerard tried to get her to focus on socializing with more important people.

"…so you'll be able to check him out this year too."

Gerard's words suddenly became clear again, like she had just come up from under water. He seemed to be smirking, wrinkles forming at the side of his mouth, one fist under his chin, and he leaning against the back of his seat. He didn't say anything else, like he was waiting for her reaction. Giving the look on his face, she assumed he had just finished teasing her.

"Sorry," she shook her head, trying to clear her mind, "who?"

Gerard's grin faded as he looked at her with disappointed eyes. She knew he was probably a little let down at her dull response. When Gerard wanted to stir things up, he wanted some dramatics. Then, as quickly as it had left, that look of mischief returned to his face.

"Oh," he looked forward and away from Silver, fixing his slicked, magenta hair, "nobody."

Silver frowned deeply, now curious to know who he was talking about. Someone she had 'checked out' before? She didn't recall seeing anyone who retained her attention for that long last year. She wracked her brain for any recollection of who Gerard could have been poking about, but she drew a blank.

"Whatever." She shook off Gerard's teasing.

Gerard cocked a single eyebrow, wide grin still plastered on his face. He was really enjoying this, but then found himself shrugging it off as well. There were more important things at hand, and he took out his phone to check in with the design studio for Silver's dress. Holding up an index finger, he emphasized that Silver needed to remain silent as he called the designer's secretary.

"This is Gerard," Silver could hear him talking in a very professional tone, "did the dress arrive yet?"

It was then that she allowed herself to drift off with her imagination again. How would the media react to her this year? Without the guidance of her trusty publicist, she would be lost in this glamorous world. Gerard was always wearing well tailored suits, mixing both neutral and vibrant colors splendidly. He was more cut out for the limelight than her, but she knew he liked working behind the scenes more. It was a shame; he could have put that charisma into a celebrity career.

Then, a tightness began to form in her chest when she thought of the after party. She remembered the first time she was to attend the event when she was still a mentor. She remembered waving off her tributes with hope in her heart, only to have both lost their lives in the games. She remembered feeling like she had celebrated sending them to their death. Now that she wasn't a mentor, she didn't have to worry about that sort of thing. So why did she still feel so guilty?

* * *

><p>"We're here!" She heard Gerard yelling, hands cupping his mouth for emphasis.<p>

Had she spaced out again? She lost track of so much time when she was away from home. It was only a little bit longer that she would be in the Capital, so she decided to get these troublesome tasks over with as efficiently as possible. It would start with the chariots.

Seating herself with the other victors and mentors, Silver couldn't help but feel a little out of place. She had always been quiet, but she thought she would have been over her little insecurity by now. She guessed without Gerard by her side, it made a big difference. She continued to look at the watch on her wrist, wondering when he would be done spending the day with the designer. She wanted to be nice in giving those two some alone time, but she wished Gerard was with her.

As the loud murmurs of the crowd began to turn to a roar, Silver and all the other guests in the reserved terrace stood and looked to the president's podium. President Snow flashed charming smiles in all directions at the masses that had gathered, adjusting his suit as he did so. Silver rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that he always stalled too long. She drowned out his speech, knowing it wouldn't be that much different than the speeches he gave every year. Instead, she took especially intense interest in the new tributes.

The chariots were now beginning to draw out into the long, main street- the crowd going completely wild. Silver could see the same trends in each district, but could see what set them apart as individuals. The male from District 2 not only had a look of aggression to him, he also had a lick of arrogance. She bet he would go far, given what she could tell already.

Soon enough, she found herself becoming sad upon seeing the younger tributes, and also thankful that she had been fifteen when she was selected. At least then she had more experience than some of these very little ones. She prayed that they had some sort of skill or secret talent that would carry them through that bloodbath.

When it came time to see the last chariot, Silver almost lost interest until -_flash!_ District 12's tributes suddenly burst into flame! Upon seeing that it wasn't an accident, and in reality the wardrobe itself, Silver could feel herself grinning ear to ear. Now that was a way to make an impression! If she hadn't vowed to avoid picking favorites, she might have decided to sponsor them right then and there.

President Snow spoke his last few words, his voice booming in every corner of the streets. The people that had gathered were ecstatic, clamoring about and discussing their favorite tributes. As the president finished his speech and declared the games open, the crowd below cheered uncontrollably and the administrators began to slip away in a hurry. She was eager to follow them, having no interest in socializing more than she had to. It wouldn't be long before night fell and the guests would arrive at the grand after party.

Just outside of a prestigious skyscraper penthouse, the sky lit up in bright explosions of color. Fireworks spilled their light across the night and illuminated the faces of those who stood near the open balcony. One of those guests was Silver, looking out to the expanse of the capital city before her. Still, she couldn't help but have some insecurities being in such a glamorous atmosphere.

Looking down her dress was simple considering Capital fashion, and dyed an off-white color. One side strapless, the other with a long sleeve that transitioned into transparency, the shape alone created interest. The neckline was sweetheart for the staples, and a v-line for the sleeve, and at the bottom the dress transitioned into mermaid style, with a slit that revealed a bit of leg. She knew Gerard had specially picked out that dress for her, so she told herself to be a bit more confident.

* * *

><p>Gerard had come with her, but went off looking for someone and was still nowhere in sight. One by one guests found their places amongst their peers, and Silver was left completely alone. Thinking of home, she remembered all the times she felt at peace being alone. On the open sea, some days there was nothing but the bluest sky to greet you, and thoughts to keep you company. Looking into the blackness of the sky, she was reminded of the sea. As more fireworks burst into fractals of burning light, she smiled silently to herself.<p>

Just as Silver found that she might be able to enjoy herself, someone put a hand on her shoulder. Her first instinct told her it was Gerard, but as the hand began to apply more pressure, she realized she wasn't being greeted. She was being used as a support. A harsh smell began to make its way into her proximity, and her face scrunched in confusion.

"S-sorry!" The voice was slurred and belonged to a man.

Turning around swiftly, Silver brushed the hand off her shoulder in shock. Who was this person? It certainly wasn't Gerard! Then she saw his face and everything came together. A sinking feeling forming in the pit of her stomach, Silver couldn't tell if she was feeling unlucky, or just plain annoyed.

"Hey," he narrowed light grey eyes, jabbing a finger in Silver's direction, "do I know you from somewhere?"

Silver's voice was caught in her throat as her thoughts began to spin. Why did he have to be here when Gerard wasn't? Would she be able to hold back if this guy did anything stupid again? He was that same guy from last time! The one who ruined her dress and simply laughed it off. What was his name again?

Staring her up and down without a care, the stranger kept some sort of alcoholic beverage in one hand, and the other hand placed on the railing of the terrace. A wide smirk began to form on his lips as he nodded to himself slightly, staring somewhere other than her eyes. In fact, it felt like he couldn't even concentrate on anything.

"Y-you're that chick," he chuckled to himself, "Aldrift."

That's when it all came back to her. This person that she wished to avoid that night was standing right in front of her. Perpetually intoxicated, and always aggravatingly carefree. She found herself hissing the name. "Haymitch…"


	2. Chapter 2: Dazed and Confused

**A/N: Somewhat Mature Content towards the end of this chapter. Just a heads up to some readers who may not be comfortable with that sort of thing. Thanks for reading!**

Pulsating through every vain, Silver could feel her blood pressure rising with each passing second. The look on his face, the smell of his cologne and alcohol intertwined those eyes that refused to acknowledge her own; everything about Haymitch seemed to get under her skin.

Sensing the animosity simply radiating from the woman before him, her name finally began to spark something in his memory. This wasn't a friend; in fact, he could have made her an enemy. He recalled doing something the year before that threw her into a fury, but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly. He did remember being lighthearted about the whole thing, but that only seemed to make matters worse. Looking back on it, he was just trying to make things less awkward for the both of them, but he understood how that approach could backfire.

"What a…" Silver was debating whether or not she should be blunt or sarcastic with her words, but later decided on neither, "surprise." She gave a sickly sweet smile, yet the stiffness from holding back was evident.

If he was in particularly high spirits, then Haymitch would have simply brushed off her obvious grudge on him, but he wasn't in the best of moods that night. On top of the stress of letting go his two tributes; ones that he had actually become quite fond of for that matter, he had someone being unreasonably angry at him for something that happened a year ago. He wasn't going to start a scene- or at least that wasn't his intention. He would just prod her a bit until it was Silver who had lost her temper.

"Is it really all that surprising?" He scoffed, taking a quick sip from his drink. "I was here last year after all."

"Yeah," Silver rolled her eyes, "how could I forget?"

Chuckling bitterly, Haymitch turned so that his whole back rested against the balcony railing. Despite his efforts, Silver got the suspicion that he was just as dissatisfied with her. He wouldn't even look near her anymore- just down into his drink as he swirled it around with the flick of his wrist. Just from looking at his drink, he remembered something from last year. The cause of all this tension.

"Oops!"

In a last ditch effort to lighten the air, Haymitch pretended to almost spill his drink on Silver, the liquid coming dangerously close to sloshing over the edge of the glass. Laughing out loud, Haymitch retracted the glass to steal another drink, and swallowed hard. Judging by the faint strain on his face, Silver figured it must have been something hard. That, on top of his little joke, only pushed her closer to the boiling point.

"Just kidding." Haymitch flashed a grin, looking to Silver expectantly.

"I think I should go now." Silver replied bluntly, moving away from the balcony.

Despite his best effort, Silver was still unreasonably unforgiving. Haymitch felt his teeth grind together slightly in irritation at how difficult she kept insisting on being. All this fuss over a dress she likely never wore again? And from someone who gave up being a mentor all together- someone who didn't even deserve to be there. He really hated victors who felt they should be spoiled after spending some time in the capital. Silver hadn't necessarily proven herself to not fit under that category either.

"Sorry about the dress," he called out, his voice laced with malice, "I know you pampered types really hate that sort of thing."

Taking another hard swig from his drink, Haymitch didn't notice when Silver stopped dead in her tracks at his words. Turning around on her heel, Silver placed her hands on her hips and wore an expression of complete exasperation. She couldn't believe what he just said! Pampered? Was it because she was from District 4, and he from 12? She knew it was much harder in District 12, but living in District 4 was no walk in the park either. Neither one of them could understand the other at all.

"Excuse me," she huffed, "what did you just say about me?"

Haymitch shrugged, jutting his lower lip as if it was an inevitable conclusion. "You just seem like the really pampered type," he retorted, "getting worked up about something as simple as a dress."

Cocking her head to the side, Silver's brow was tightly furrowed as she shook her head in disbelief. Was he really so thick-headed? Her getting worked up over clothes? Just what kind of person did he take her for?

"It's not about the dress!"

Silver realized she had been yelling when a concerned Gerard grabbed her by the shoulder. His face seemed riddled with worry and curiosity. Taking a deep breath, Silver recollected her composure while Haymitch looked back and forth between the two, expectant.

"Um… darling," Gerard gave a nervous smile, as he looked around to make sure nobody had started staring, "you okay over here?"

"Yeah, yeah," she reassured him, feeling a bit better now, "I'm fine."

His bright blue eyes searching her face, Gerard wasn't fully convinced, but motioned to someone else anyway. Up came a man who seemed a bit younger than Gerard with a deep sapphire fohawk and long, white feather jacket. She couldn't see his eyes behind his big, gold rimmed sunglasses, but he beamed brightly and held out his hand.

"So nice to finally meet you darling," he mused, shaking Silver's hand eagerly when she gave it to him, "my name is Piasco and I designed your dress!"

So this was the designer that Gerard had been seeing! Judging by the pleading look he was giving her right now, she figured he wanted her to make a good impression as well. Perhaps Gerard was really serious about this relationship. She gave a gentle expression back and she shook Piasco's hand back.

"Thank you so much for your hard work," she stressed her appreciation, wanting to make Gerard happy, "this dress was simply perfect for me."

"I know right?" Piasco gave out a hearty laugh as he released Silver's hand. "Aren't I just the best?"

Silver couldn't help but giggle along with him, knowing that he was just joking around. When she quickly looked at Haymitch, however, his expression was as sour as ever. She wanted to make a good impression on Piasco for Gerard, but she also didn't want to help solidify Haymitch's assumptions of her being pampered. Sensing that Silver was suddenly becoming uncomfortable, Gerard moved his hand from Silver's shoulder to Piasco's.

"We'll see you later tonight, darling," Gerard winked at Silver, "I still have plenty of people to introduce Piasco to."

After he said this, the couple shared affectionate looks. Silver couldn't help but feel a bit of joy- knowing how wonderful Gerard felt around Piasco. When they began to make their way back into the party crowd with a wave, that's when Silver's heart sank. Now she would have to deal with Haymitch alone.

"Your own stylist?" Haymitch snickered. "Isn't that privilege reserved for tributes?"

Silver shot Haymitch a harsh glance at this, returning back to the balcony railing. He certainly had the wrong impression of her, but she was far too stubborn to realize that maybe she was the same. All that she cared about now was proving him wrong. Proving him wrong to show him how foolish he was being.

"Piasco did this as a favor to Gerard," she corrected curtly, "I only have a publicist."

Shaking his head and letting out a chortle, Haymitch took another drink. Silver wondered if he even had a limit. Well, clearly he had little boundaries in her opinion. After a moment of silence between the two, Silver assumed her response had little effect in changing Haymitch's mind. Without thinking, she blurted something out in her desperation.

"Challenge me to anything and I will win," she declared confidently, "anything that will prove I'm no pampered princess."

Raising his hands defensively, Haymitch gave a mock expression of shock. Then, that wide smile of his quickly returned, animosity lying just beneath the surface. Uncurling his index finger from around his glass, he pointed directly at Silver as if challenging her right back.

"If we're going to really prove anything," he gave her a devious glance, "then you'll have to beat me at something I'm good at."

* * *

><p>Kicking herself internally, Silver couldn't believe she was actually surprised to be sitting at a table near the bar, bottle and two shot glasses between her and Haymitch. Just what was he trying to pull at a party like this? The way he explained it was, <em>anyone who could hold their hard liquor better than him, was far from pampered.<em> Her conscience told her this was just some ruse to get her drunk and disorderly, but her pride wouldn't allow her to back down.

Pouring the first rounds, the scent of such strong alcohol burned the inside of Silver's nose. She couldn't believe people found the stuff drinkable. If she had to throw up, at least there was a pillar behind the table for support. Such a putrid drink was fitting of a man like Haymitch, she thought to herself. Placing her glass on the table with a clack, Haymitch looked to Silver with a cocky aura about him.

"You sure you can handle this?" He joked, picking up his own shot glass and bringing it to his face. "You already look queasy and you haven't even had one round yet."

"Shut it Haystack." Silver barked as she threw back the drink and swallowed.

After an hour, Silver started losing count of how many times she threw back like that. Her vision was becoming abnormal, but she couldn't quite place what was off. Perhaps it was the spinning sensation and the slight blur that followed every motion. She knew it was time to stop, for her own sake.

When Haymitch eagerly grabbed the almost empty bottle for another round, Silver lifted a swaying hand to stop him. Taking a moment to speak, she closed her eyes shut as she tried to force out words. "No more..." She took another pause, this time opening her eyes wide and blinking to keep them open, "I have to...get home somehow... jackass..."

She tried to berate him to alleviate the frustration of letting him win, but that didn't stop the satisfied look that crossed his face. Something about it hit a nerve.

"Giving up so soon?" Haymitch taunted, giving the bottle in his hand a light shake. "I knew you careers couldn't hold your alcohol."

That was it. Slamming her hands against the table, Silver stumbled to get up, almost knocking over her chair. From there she threw her hand at Haymitch's neck, yanking on his tie harshly. With a snarl, she got him to stand on his feet as well.

"What did you just call me?" She hissed groggily.

"I called you a _career_," he put emphasis on the word to push the matter even further, "because that's what you are."

In an instant, Silver had let go of the tie, moved away from the table, and raised a clenched fist in rage. As Silver flung her fist at Haymitch's face, Gerard took notice from across the room, and began sprinting in a last ditch effort to break up the potential headline before him.

Gerard, unable to get to Silver in time, was able to relax a little when Silver's fist completely moved past Haymitch's face- not making an ounce of contact. Still, the momentum sent Silver sprawling forward into the chest of the man she just tried to assault. With a tangle of the legs and gravity at work, the two toppled to the floor with a cloud bang. Clamors of and looks of concern rose up from people around the two, making Gerard very uneasy.

The moment between them on the floor was brief, but changed something in Silver's intoxicated mind. On top of him was a certain warmth that spread throughout. The closeness of Haymitch's face gave her little shocks throughout her body, every time she could feel his breath. The feeling of his hip bones digging in so closely to hers made her stiffen up. What was going on?

Before she could think anymore, someone from behind had harshly grabbed both of her upper arms, and gave her a violent tug to her feet. Holding her arms tightly was a panting Gerard, strands of magenta hair sticking to his brow. Behind him was a distraught looking Piasco, wringing his hands together in unease.

"Just what the hell are you thinking?!" He whispered so loudly in her ringing ears, that Silver couldn't help but wince.

Unable to answer, her mouth just bobbed open and close like a fish out of water. Her mind couldn't seem to grasp logic anymore, and her senses were hazy.

Not long after Silver was forced to her feet, Haymitch also managed to get off the floor with some trips here and there. Breathing heavily, he pushed back loose, blonde locks, before stumbling backwards to the column for support. He was glaring intently at his assailant with a look beyond just plain anger. It was almost a kind of hunger.

Gerard swiftly pulled Silver with him towards Haymitch, grabbing both instigators near their collars aggressively. Looking back and forth between the two, he kept his voice low, but he was clearly livid.

"If you two have a score to settle," his voice became harsher by the second, "then do it where nobody can see you!"

With that being said, and much verbal protesting from both parties, Silver and Haymitch were escorted by Gerard- who was much stronger than he looked- to the exit of the after party. Having drunk a little himself, Gerard was feeling particularly merciless that night, and gave Silver a cynical look.

"You can handle yourself," he finally let go of the pair and adjusted his suit, "but if things get rough you have your phone, right?"

Voice activated emergency calling was one of the benefits of accepting a phone from the capital. Gerard held up the bag Silver nearly left behind, and she took it gingerly, shaking it to hear the phone rattle around. Nodding wearily like a scolded child, she couldn't help but feel small under Gerard's gaze. Haymitch, who had surprisingly suppressed himself from getting physical, simply stared at his shoes with discontent.

Gerard hailed a taxi for the two, and told the driver to not be afraid in using any means necessary to break up any fights in the back. When the taxi was finally out of sight, he slumped onto the nearest bend, exhaling deeply. Piasco came outside to check on him, and began rubbing Gerard's back with his wide hands, and whispers of comfort. Still, it couldn't completely quell the unshakeable frustration he had inside.

* * *

><p>Inside the taxi, the tension had not calmed one bit. The hostile air between the two adults was so thick it could be cut with a knife; Silver crossing both arms tightly over her chest, and Haymitch staring out the window with knitted eyebrows. Still, something was still on Silver's mind besides her hatred towards this situation.<p>

Just what was it that she had felt back then? That sensation on the floor? She felt like she knew, but her brain couldn't even remember the slightest details. She didn't even remember why she was mad at Haymitch in the first place. All she knew is that she wasn't done with him.

Reaching out to touch him, she made the first move. It wasn't one of violence, more of wonder than anything else. She thought that if she was going to fulfill any desire, it would be her curiosity before vengeance. Her finger tips just barely brushed underneath Haymitch's belt before he flinched.

Looking at her with an intense hostility and confusion, Haymitch's stare was returned with an equally hostile look from Silver. To defy him even more. Her hand gradually eased onto his pants until she could feel the traces of his hipbone again.

Jumping in surprise, Silver then felt a calloused hand press itself onto her thigh without hesitation. Haymitch was returning the contact? Was this another challenge? Still, as his hand slowly began caressing the inside of her leg, she began feeling that sensation from before. Now she understood it.

It's not like she hadn't been in this situation before, so how hadn't she noticed? This was pent up frustration that boiled deep into the core, and could only be cured with the physical. If she had been in the right mind, she would have been shocked, maybe even frightened by this need. Still, this was tonight, and she had given up trying to think straight.

Their eyes still locked in a fierce battle as Silver riskily moved her hand closer to the center of his trousers, and Haymitch's fingers spread to cover more ground. Their breath became irregular again as they burned under each other's gaze. Faces inching closer with every second, as Silver began to move her hand further south, everything came unraveled.

Silver's hand retracted from complete shock as Haymitch took his free hand, and pressed it to the back of her neck. Quickly tugging her face closer, Haymitch slammed his lips into Silver's, forcing them to lock deeper and deeper. She may have been caught off guard, but this was no game she would lose tonight. Silver relocated her hands into Haymitch's long hair, tangling her fingers through its length, and pulling into him at the same time. At this movement, he grunted in satisfaction between heated kisses.

Eventually, the force from Haymitch's frantic lips, forced Silver's mouth open for entry. A thick taste of the liquor from earlier, spread over her tongue as it was massaged by Haymitch's. They both fought for the lead, neither seeming to give way. The two slid right next to each other on the leather seats, as Haymitch took his hand from Silver's thigh, bringing it to her back, and brought her body closer to his. This lack of distance only set their intimacy more alight, and the cab driver soon began to take notice. Pushing the tinted screen between him and the backseat, he cleared his throat in embarrassment.

Only stopping for air, the two were all over each other in competition until they arrived at their first stop. From there things were a blur. Silver hardly knew where she was until she remembered this was the hotel she had been staying at. Fumbling out of the car, Haymitch wasn't far behind as Silver lead him aggressively by his tie.

Her memories from then on came in flashes. Swaying harshly to the elevator, heels clacking on the marble floor. A hand firmly pressed to her backside, and hotness beside her ear. Fumbling for a key inside her bag, and almost dropping it as she slid it into the door.

Her dress discarded and coolness sinking into her skin. An open window and the contact of flesh against flesh, greeting her both with chill and heat. It wasn't long before her back met with soft sheets. Sloppy, harsh kisses on her neck, then lower, and lower, and lower; tremors wracking her body with each contact. Wetness between her legs, as a familiar tongue began to do its work on her.

She remembered feeling like she was being consumed whole, frantically trying not to be overpowered. Then, she succumbed to a feeling of immensely pleasurable fullness, her bed violently shifting with each thrust, and shaking breath. Both became closer and more fanatic, as their mouths joined in heated unity over and over until it all went black.


End file.
